Title Page: Large Pendant, Venus and Amor at Centre
1596
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1596
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This print is packed with tiny, swirling designs. At the center, a naked woman stands tall, holding a spear. Around her, small figures—some human, some animal—climb, play, and hide in the busy patterns. Birds fly between vines, and strange creatures peek from the corners. The whole thing looks like a crowded party of shapes and lines. The artist carved this into metal using a sharp tool. That’s how the dark lines stand out against the light background. The text at the bottom says it was made in 1596. Check out how engraving works to see how artists like this made their marks.
